By Shay Moser
Photos by Kimberly Carrillo

At age 16, Phoenix native Robert Mulvin was in high school and working at a fast-food restaurant. However, that all changed when his friend’s dad offered him the opportunity to make extra money putting together window sunscreens in his garage. Mulvin quickly mastered assembling sunscreens and then learned how to measure and sell the window sunscreen.
Furthermore, he worked for the supplier who sold sunscreen materials and components, delivering the parts to Valley sunshade companies. “It opened my eyes to roller shades, awnings, and all the different shades out there,” Mulvin says. ‘’Then my best friend, Jeremy, talked me into starting the company with him as a partner. We parted ways about a year later when he became successful in real estate, but if not for him, I would have never done it.”

Now more than 17 years later, Mulvin is the president and owner of All Pro Shade Concepts, the Valley’s most trusted shade solutions provider for homes and businesses — from window sunscreens to retractable awnings and patio drop shades. Mulvin employs 14 installers, six sales personnel, and four employees who manage the warehouse and office.

No Throwing Shade
Mulvin’s priority is customer service by offering free quotes. “If you call us for a free home or business inspection, that’s all we’ll come out for,” he says. “We won’t pressure anyone into deciding or try to make them feel guilty about not committing to a purchase. And we give the lowest price upfront.”

Moreover, Mulvin says, “Anyone can go to a Home Depot and get a standard 8-foot shade for $86. But it will be 80% fabric, the hardware is plastic, and it will only be that one size. On the contrary, All Pro Shade Concepts custom-makes all its patio shades, and we build them to last. We use only the most durable and resilient fabrics to resist damage from Arizona sun exposure. In addition, All Pro Shade Concepts will professionally measure and install them.”

“With that being said,” Mulvin continues, “we only order patio shades and retractable awnings from the top manufacturers in the country. With our buying power, we’re able to have them delivered and installed faster and with an upfront low price, passing our savings on to the end user.”

Pick a Color, Any Color
For retractable awnings, patio shades, and sunscreens, All Pro Shade Concepts offers the best quality for the most competitive pricing. And customers can choose from manual and motorized patio shades and awnings.

“We started offering retractable shades in 2008 and then motorized options in 2012,” says Mulvin. “The retractable patio shades didn’t take off until 2015; they provide comfort from the Arizona sun while extending outdoor entertainment space. During the winter, the drop shades retain the heat, especially with space heaters.”
“We have the built-in dimmable LED lights as a standard feature on our motorized awnings,” Mulvin says. “We build these lights into the arms of all our awnings so users can control the level of light by remote control.”

In addition, every awning comes with wind sensors and a motor override just in case the power goes out.

“We hand make every window sunscreen and custom-build them to clients’ needs, which means that we can have shades on the windows of a house or business faster than most competitors,” says Mulvin. “We’ve measured for, made, and installed more than 300,000 window sunscreens.”

Also, window sunscreen installations are eligible for the SRP Screen Rebate. SRP offers customers a rebate of $0.80 per square foot on professionally installed shade screens to keep their homes cooler during Phoenix’s summer months.

Customers can even choose the frame, sun blockage percent, and fabric color and design to best suit their Arizona home or business.

“Our Textilene shades are the best available and can block up to 80 to 95% of the sun’s rays,” Mulvin says. “It can save 15 to 20% in cooling costs per year, too.”

Additionally, the company only uses the most reliable motors for retractable patio shades and awnings, and all products come with a manufacturer’s warranty — 10 years for material and five years for motors.

“For us, honesty is the only policy, and we strive to complete all projects with integrity, not just with our clients, but also with our suppliers and contractors,” Mulvin explains. “We are one of Arizona’s most trusted businesses because we have thousands of successful projects under our belt. We will never leave a job site unfinished, and we’ll work with customers until we install the shades to their satisfaction.”

When to Add Shade
While it’s always a good time to add shade to homes and businesses in Arizona, Mulvin says, “The best time to schedule All Pro Shade Concepts is before the heat arrives so you can stay comfortable.”

In comparison, “the off-season, or wintertime, we’re scheduling four to six weeks out,” says Mulvin. “In the summertime, we’ll be scheduling about eight to 10 weeks out when demand is higher.”

Visit allproshadeconcepts.com or call 623-204-1476 to request a free home or business inspection.

The showroom is at 21617 N. 2nd Ave. in Phoenix. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are preferred to guarantee a salesperson will be available.

This content sponsored by All Pro Shade Concepts.